WHOLE Festival is back this July for its 8th edition, taking place at Ferropolis, otherwise known as the Iron City, just outside of Berlin. For attendees arriving via Berlin Brandenburg Airport, the journey continues with a bus ride out to the iconic open-air industrial peninsula, where a weekend of queer chaos, carnage, and joy awaits.
Running from July 17-20, this momentary utopia becomes a blur of converging bass and dancing bodies. All backgrounded by uniquely queer experiences shared across six stages all inlaid amongst the surrounding treeline. At the centre of WHOLE’s purpose is meaningful connection, encouraging a kind of radical belonging that adds to this festival’s singular tone. The musical landscape is both vibrant and unique, a one-of-a-kind experience that has drawn global acclaim.
The 2026 edition, Enter The Whole, marries a variety of themes which pair alongside a distinct musical landscape. Guests can expect conglomerate micro-genres that emulate hyperpop surrealism, post-internet maximalism, Y2K futurism, and absurdist pop. This year’s lineup is absolutely stacked. Featuring icons of the queer music scene like DJ AYA, Octo Octa (LIVE), Cyberkills, BASHKKA, DJ Fuckoff, OK Williams, and many, many more.
Not only is an incredible lineup of genre-bending musicians and DJs on the menu, WHOLE has also crafted a selection of collectives that inform and shape its purpose. Expect titans of the global underground club and party scene like: SEXTOU (London), 999 Ciclo (Buenos Aires), MARICAS (Barcelona), Cuddles (Berlin), PERVERT (Mexico City), to name a few.
COLD spoke with the WHOLE team to get a clearer picture about what the festival represents, what guests can expect, and why this year’s edition is extra special.
The Cold Magazine (CM): What was the moment that prompted the start of WHOLE festival?
WHOLE Team (WT): WHOLE really came out of a feeling that something was missing. We’d had a lot of frustrating experiences within existing club and festival structures, and felt there was a need for a space genuinely centered around queer communities: not just in terms of music, but also politically, socially, and emotionally.
At the same time, we were really inspired by how many beautiful queer parties, collectives, and communities already existed in Berlin. WHOLE grew from the desire to bring those different energies together in one space to create something shared, supportive, and independent.
CM: If you could experience WHOLE again for the first time, what is the first thing you would tell yourself before entering the festival grounds?
WT: I would probably tell myself to slow down and really take it all in: the people, the openness, the feeling of freedom and care that exists there. The first time can feel overwhelming because there’s so much happening at once, but that’s also the magic of WHOLE. It’s less about trying to see everything and more about allowing yourself to fully experience the community, the unexpected encounters, and the sense of belonging that develops over those days.
CM: The best kept secret of the festival weekend (that you can tell us)?
WT: One of the best kept upgrades this year is a double Arena darkroom, so there’s way more space to move and breathe in there. There are also rumours of an extra douching station coming in.
CM: How do you go about curating the lineup, what kind of energy are you hoping the crowd pulls from the performers and vice versa?
WT: We’re especially interested in artists who understand the dancefloor as something reciprocal rather than performative from a distance. Ideally, the crowd feels invited into something participatory. Not just consuming a set, but shaping the atmosphere with the artists in real time. And vice versa, we want performers to feel held by the audience enough to experiment.
CM: What is the WORST festival mistake you can make at a camping festival?
WT: The worst mistake is going in unprepared and treating it like a single night instead of a multi-day experience. Set your intentions early so you know what you’re there for, and remember to sleep. If the basics like rest, water, and your setup aren’t handled, everything else gets harder.
CM: The performers you are most excited to see?
WT: There’s a lot to be excited about in the live programme this year. MEEK brings a really powerful vocal presence to the Performance Stage, and Zebra Katz will be performing for the first time in a hybrid DJ and live format. Hard Ton singing live on the Beach Stage is set to be iconic as always.
CM: Octo Octa is also returning to WHOLE, with a live set for the first time, does this feel like a special moment for the festival?
WT: Yes, we can’t wait for that!
CM: What was it like collaborating with UHaul Dyke rescue? Can we expect another collaboration like this at the 2026 edition?
WT: It was Uhaul Dyke Rescue’s first time at WHOLE and they were blown away by the community that we have built. The collab was well- received. The activation garnered amazing feedback from the FLINTA community, with some folks mentioning that the takeover was their highlight of the weekend. It’s important for us to create more spaces that center the FLINTA community. They will join us again, this time in charge of a FLINTA* hangout space.
CM: Anything else our readership should know?
WT: No, except: queer joy is such a beautiful thing to witness.
